So, you’ve decided to become a teacher – great! But what’s next?
You’re probably thinking about how to fund your training, and with so many options available from bursaries to scholarships, salaried to self-funded – you may be left feeling a bit bewildered.
You’ll want to make sure you have your funding in order before you embark on your teaching journey, and we know that jargon can be confusing, so we’ve written this article to outline the various funding options available.
Training Routes
Salaried
If you are a trainee on our salaried route, you will earn while you learn, and your tuition fees will be paid by us. This route is highly competitive and is dependent on available vacancies in your preferred subject.
Core subjects such as English, Maths and all Sciences are more likely to have salaried vacancies due to their demand. Other subjects may also be occasionally available in some regions.
Click here to see which subjects we are currently advertising.
If you are unsuccessful in your application for a salaried vacancy, we will work with you to find a suitable alternative.
Self-funded
If you are a trainee on our self-funded route your training will be unpaid. Student maintenance loans and bank loans are available to help you to self-fund your studies to cover our tuition fees of £9,000.
If you’re not quite sure which option is best for you, don’t worry – when submitting your application, you have the option to select salaried, self-funded or either.
If you would be happy to fund your own training - for example, by taking out a loan should funding be unavailable – make sure you tick the ‘either’ option when applying. All applications are given equal consideration regardless of which option(s) you select.
Bursaries and Scholarships
You may be eligible for a bursary or scholarship to train to teach. These are tax-free sums of money awarded to select trainees in certain subjects. These are not loans and do not need to be paid back.
The amount of funding depends on the subject you wish to teach.
A few important points to note:
- You cannot receive both a bursary and a scholarship
- You cannot receive a bursary or scholarship if you are training to teach on our salaried route
- Each scholarship application is a competitive process
|
Bursary amount |
Scholarship amount |
|
|
Physics |
£27,000 |
£29,000 |
|
Chemistry |
£27,000 |
£29,000 |
|
Maths |
£27,000 |
£29,000 |
|
Modern Foreign Languages (French/Spanish) |
£25,000 |
£27,000 |
|
Geography |
£25,000 |
|
|
Design Technology |
£20,000 |
|
|
Biology |
£20,000 |
|
|
English |
£15,000 |
|
Application Process
You do not need to apply for a bursary; you will automatically be assessed against the criteria.
You’ll need at least one of the following:
- A bachelor’s degree 2:2 or higher
- A master’s
- A PhD
You’ll also need to meet the bursary scheme’s individual terms and conditions.
Scholarships are offered by independent institutions which have their own application process – you should apply through the relevant body.
You will need at least one of the below to be eligible for a scholarship:
- A bachelor’s degree 2:1 or higher
- A master’s
- A PhD
Institutions set their own criteria for scholarships, so you will also need to meet their specific standard.
Whichever route you take, our team will be here to support you in your journey. We welcome questions, so if you would like to chat to a member of our team about funding or have another enquiry, please get in touch via: train@unitedteaching.org.uk.
More information about funding and practical support can be found on education.gov.uk.
